Tongues and Talents
by helloworld109
Summary: Bella's always wanted to find something that she can do that Edward can't...


**Lady Murray's Challenge:** Write a one-shot about Edward discovering a secret talent Bella possesses.

**Disclaimer:** The majority of the characters contained in this story are creations of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended, and no profits are made from this story.

**A/N:** For all those that don't know, Tongues is a card game. Everyone is dealt four cards, and the dealer has a stack of the remaining cards, which the dealer looks at one at a time. The dealer then decides if they want to trade that card out with one of the four cards in their hand, and then slides a card facedown to the person beside them. This continues until a card has made it around the circle of players. Every person follows this pattern, and the last person in the circle makes a "trash" pile of the cards that no one wants. The point of the game is to get four of a kind, and once someone does that, they stick out their tongue. Everyone else sticks out their tongues as soon as they notice, and the last one to stick out their tongue loses. Sorry if my description is terrible… but hopefully you'll understand the gist of the game.

* * *

The entire Cullen family – minus Esme and Carlisle – was gathered in the large downstairs family room playing cards. We'd spent most of the day playing various card games, and we were in the middle of a round of Tongues when Emmett interrupted the near-silence. 

"So after the hunt today, I've been thinking… is it really impossible to lick your elbow?" asked Emmett offhandedly, as if it were normal to ponder such a question.

"Dare I ask _why_ you were wondering this?" I replied, setting my hand of cards down on the table. I happened to have four eights, but I was momentarily distracted.

"Well, we were hunting, and bear blood spurted onto my elbow. I tried to lick it off, but it didn't go so well."

I had to laugh at the image that came to mind.

"So, Edward, Mr.-I-have-too-many-medical-degrees-to-count, is it impossible?"

"Try it and see," was the mirthful response. I could feel Edward shaking with laughter, as I was sitting on his lap.

Of course, Emmett attempted once again to lick his elbow, with as much success as he'd had the first time.

"Everyone knows it's impossible," interrupted Alice. "Can you lick your nose, though?"

Emmett flicked his tongue to his nose, and triumphantly nodded towards Alice.

"But I bet you can't curl your tongue like this!" said Alice as she curled her tongue lengthwise.

"That's genetic, I think," replied Rosalie. "I can roll mine, too." She stuck hers out, just to prove it, and folded her arms before settling back into the couch.

Emmett, meanwhile, was having no luck at all. Neither was Jasper, and Edward stated that he already knew he couldn't. Who knows when he'd tried beforehand.

"Maybe it's just a girl thing," suggested Alice. "You try, Bella!"

I knew from previous experience that I could in fact curl my tongue. I stuck it out, just to prove it. "Plus, look what else I can do," I added as I folded my tongue into a clover-leaf shape.

Emmett exclaimed, "Whoa! Freaky!"

"- says the vampire," I quipped.

"Edward! Imagine the make-out action there!" I, of course, could feel the blood rush to my cheeks, and was about to burrow my face into Edward's chest when I saw a green blur soar past. The couch cushion from behind me hit Emmett square in the face. He chortled, and muttered "Prude." That guaranteed another pillow in the face. By this time, I was laughing too.

"So you think I'm a 'prude' too?" Edward murmured into my hair. My breath caught in my throat, and my laughter instantly quieted.

"You're just jealous that I found a talent that you don't have," I replied. Even if I hadn't yet won a single card game that day – thanks to Alice's and Edward's gifts – I still felt as if I'd beaten Edward. After all, it's a rare day when I find a talent that the ever-perfect Edward doesn't possess.

"Oh, and by the way, Edward, you lost that round of Tongues. You never actually stuck your tongue out." I laid my hand out for all to see. "And I had four eights." Yes, a wonderful day indeed.

* * *

Shout-out to my wonderful beta Kat! Without her, you'd have to deal with many grammar, capitalization, and other issues. The story just wouldn't make sense. huggles Oh, and her freaky tongue-tricks were the inspiration. :-P 


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